And my take...
This would devastate a major hub and air travel across the country ... I hope if they do decide to strike, they all are promptly fired and replaced. I've flown JFK many times and they are clueless as is

Quoting plateman (Reply 1):And my take...
This would devastate a major hub and air travel across the country ... I hope if they do decide to strike, they all are promptly fired and replaced. I've flown JFK many times and they are clueless as is

How dare they ask for improvements in their workplace. Let's fuel the race to the bottom...that will get better security personnel in here.

They can ask for improvements in their workplace all they want but when you threaten to take it out on your customers (the people that make their jobs possible) that's where the line is crossed. Tell little Johnny and Little Susie that we can't go to see Grandma and Grandpa because the security guards are bettering their workplace. If there are true security issues report it to the proper authority and if they are not being addressed take it to the media.

Quoting Jerseyguy (Reply 4):and if they are not being addressed take it to the media.

Yeah...there's an even quicker way to get fired. At least going on strike is a protected right. Going to the media is the dumbest thing you could do as an employee.

Quoting Jerseyguy (Reply 4):They can ask for improvements in their workplace all they want but when you threaten to take it out on your customers

They're not taking it out on their customers, they're walking off the job because they are dissatisfied. These people didn't just wake up one day and said they were going on strike, i'm sure they've been trying to work things out for quite some time...going on strike is always a LAST resort, not the first one.

I think people view strikes in the wrong light. The strike is not meant as a punishment to the customers. The strike is a show to the employers that their job has importance and their demands need to be heard. We should applaud collective barganing efforts as this is the type of actions that got most of the labor laws that we have in place today.

Quoting Jerseyguy (Reply 4):They can ask for improvements in their workplace all they want but when you threaten to take it out on your customers (the people that make their jobs possible) that's where the line is crossed. Tell little Johnny and Little Susie that we can't go to see Grandma and Grandpa because the security guards are bettering their workplace. If there are true security issues report it to the proper authority and if they are not being addressed take it to the media.

Exactly, they claim their are security issues, but TSA looked into that and found none. They knew the job benefits and the salary when they signed up for the job, to take it out on the passengers is just wholly not right. And you can't tell me they didn't plan to do it during one of the busiest holiday travel seasons ...

I think they should have a right to strike (it's a good way to reach some agreement, the threat of a strike), but don't expect me to like them for doing so or not get annoyed if it happens while I'm there. Maybe it's not meant as punishment for customers, but the effect is the same. In this day and age, we look at how the effect affects us, and not at what people meant by their actions that caused the effect on our lives.

Discussion about whether or not they should be allowed to, or should strike, aside, I think the real question here is how effective will these strikes actually be?

These are non-TSA, non government workers. So who exactly are these people? The ones that sit by the exit of the customs area and make sure people can't come back in? I'm not sure how many people there are but that doesn't seem like a hard job to replace with someone else from a different agency as a stopgap measure.

Actually, if these are the people I'm thinking of, then they're the same people who told me I couldn't take pictures at the airport (they were of my friends, mind you). Just because I have a nice camera for plane spotting..

So I really do wonder what kind of affect this is going to have. I get the feeling it won't be huge, though I could be wrong. Especially since they're all nonunion, a good number will probably just keep their heads down and keep working.

The content I post is solely my own opinion. It is not an official statement by/of/for nor representative of any company

Quoting b6a322 (Reply 14):Discussion about whether or not they should be allowed to, or should strike, aside, I think the real question here is how effective will these strikes actually be?

These are non-TSA, non government workers. So who exactly are these people? The ones that sit by the exit of the customs area and make sure people can't come back in? I'm not sure how many people there are but that doesn't seem like a hard job to replace with someone else from a different agency as a stopgap measure.

Actually, if these are the people I'm thinking of, then they're the same people who told me I couldn't take pictures at the airport (they were of my friends, mind you). Just because I have a nice camera for plane spotting..

So I really do wonder what kind of affect this is going to have. I get the feeling it won't be huge, though I could be wrong. Especially since they're all nonunion, a good number will probably just keep their heads down and keep working.

Private security is responsible for the majority of security functions in a large airport such as JFK. Really the TSA only does the screening and they do oversight functions like making sure SIDA badges are being displayed and challenge rules are being followed. Private security companies such as in this case Air-Serv are responsible for the overall terminal security which includes access control, monitoring cameras, responding to door alarms, calling for police, fire and/or medical services when needed. They also are tasked with escorting vendor vehicles and persons onto the AOA the list goes on. Private security officers have a lot of responsiblities in many large airports.

Quoting OOer (Reply 5):They're not taking it out on their customers, they're walking off the job because they are dissatisfied.

. You make it sound as if they are quitting because they are dissatisfied. Not only are they deciding to do this all at once they are planning so that it comes at the worst possible time. Also unlike true quitting, they want their job back.

Quoting FlyDeltaJets (Reply 6):I think people view strikes in the wrong light. The strike is not meant as a punishment to the customers. The strike is a show to the employers that their job has importance and their demands need to be heard.

I think workers view strikes in the wrong light. Whether it is meant as a punishment or not, it becomes one. People don't magically get to their destination when flights gets canceled or majorly delayed. Bottom Line is that pax pay the bills, they are the reason you have a job, punishing them (whether you mean to or not) shouldn't be a viable option.

Quoting plateman (Reply 7):They knew the job benefits and the salary when they signed up for the job, to take it out on the passengers is just wholly not right.

Unfortunately, the only way to get management to pay attention during the Great American Race to the Bottom is by showing that the company actually needs them in order to make money. I understand that strikes are inconvenient, and having been impacted by them know firsthand they are as fun as getting a root canal performed by a blind alligator, but sometimes they are necessary. In any event, it's not like they're just waking up and saying, "screw the customers! Let's play hooky!" Everyone knows it's coming.

The bigger question is what the impact of this will be, and how airlines will deal with any canceled flights. Maybe they can increase flights to EWR and LGA temporarily?

Personally, I don't have a problem with their choice to strike. If they feel that they need better tools and/or training, that is their prerogative. Many people don't realize that private security firms are tasked with much of the general operational tasks in the terminal while the TSA is basically only responsible for doing screening and oversight ops.

That said, I do take issue with the fact that they are striking during an extremely busy holiday travel period, at one of the country's largest national and international hub airports. If they want to make their voice heard, that's fine, but to punish customers traveling during a holiday season? Don't like it.

Quoting AA94 (Reply 19):That said, I do take issue with the fact that they are striking during an extremely busy holiday travel period, at one of the country's largest national and international hub airports. If they want to make their voice heard, that's fine, but to punish customers traveling during a holiday season? Don't like it.

When would you have them strike? If you do it during a down travel period, the employer won't care nearly as much and the strike won't be as effective.